List of monarchs of Iran

Ancient Iran 
Kingdom of Media
The Median dynasty is traditionally considered to have ruled the earliest Iranian state. Whether the Medes ruled an imperial state or merely a loose tribal confederation is disputed among historians. Median history is reconstructed almost solely through ancient Greek sources (particularly Herodotus) and disregards Near Eastern sources, which are fragmentary and do not support the existence of a unified Median Empire. 
NamePortraitReign1Deioces727-675 BC2Phraortes675-653 BC3Cyaxares653-625 BC4Astyagesthumb|300x300px625-585 BC
Achaemenid Empire

The earliest securely Achaemenid ruler is Cyrus I in the second half of the seventh century BC. The Achaemenids united all Persian tribes under Cyrus I's son Cambyses I. Under Cambyses I's son, Cyrus II, the Achaemenids defeated the Medes and established the Achaemenid Empire, the largest ever Iranian state.
NamePortraitReign1Teispes675-640 BC2Cyrus Ithumb|150x150px640-580 BC3Cambyses I580-559 BC4Cyrus the Great180x180px559–530 BC5Cambyses IIthumb|207x207px530-522 BC6Bardiyathumb|152x152px522 BC7Darius the Great265x265px522–486 BC8Xerxes I226x226px485–465 BC9Artaxerxes I163x163px465–424 BC10Xerxes II424 BC11Darius II424-404 BC12Artaxerxes II404-358 BC13Arterxes III196x196px358–338 BC14Artaxerxes IVthumb|156x156px338-336 BC15Darius IIIthumb|150x150px336-330 BC16Bessus330-329 BC
Hellenistic period
Seleucus seized Babylonia, in the Wars of the Diadochi and was firmly in control of the region from 312 BC, after Alexander IV's death became public knowledge in 305 BC, Seleucus proclaimed himself king, the main royal Title was basileus.
NamePortraitFactsReignLifespanAlexander the Greatthumb|159x159pxKing of Macedon from 336-323330-10 June 323 BCJuly 356-10 June 323 BCPhilipthumb|150x150pxPharaoh of Egypt10 June 323-317 BC357-317 BCAlexander IIthumb|169x169pxKing of Macedonia and Egypt317-Summer 309 BCAugust 323-309 BCSeleucus I the Victoriousthumb|180x180pxFormer general under Alexander the Great.305–September 281 BCc.358-281 BCAntiochus I the Saviorthumb|150x150pxSon of Seleucus ISeptember 281– 2 June 261 BC324-261 BCAntiochus II the Godthumb|150x150pxSon of Antiochus I2 June 261–July 246 BC286-246 BCSeleucus II Beautifully triumphantthumb|150x150pxSon of Antiochus IIJuly 246–December 225 BC265-December 225 BCSeleucus III Ceraunusthumb|150x150pxSon of Seleucus II224–223 BC244-Summer 223 BCAntiochus III the Greatthumb|150x150pxSon of Seleucus II223–3 July 187 BC241-3 July 187 BCSeleucus IV the Father-lovingthumb|150x150pxSon of Antiochus III3 July 187–3 September 175 BC218-3 September 175 BCAntiochus IV Epiphanesthumb|150x150pxSon of Antiochus III3 September 175–164 BC215-164 BCAntiochus Vthumb|150x150pxSon of Antiochus IVLate 164–162 BC172-162 BCDemetrius I the Saviorthumb|150x150pxOverthrew Antiochus IV.162–150 BC185-150 BCAlexander Balasthumb|150x150pxRival king against Demetrius I, supported by the Roman Empire.152–August 145 BC?-August 145 BCAntiochus VIthumb|150x150pxSon of Alexander Balas145–142 BC148-142 BCDiodotus the Magnificentthumb|150x150px142-138 BC?-138Antiochus VII the Piousthumb|150x150pxSon of Demetrius I138–129 BC164-129 BCDemetrius II Victorthumb|150x150pxRevolted against Alexander Balas support from the Ptolemaic Kingdom.129-125 BC160-125 BC
Parthian Empire
The Arsacids of Parthia, initially Seleucid vassals, originated as leaders of the Iranian Parni tribe in the northeastern steppes. The Parthians gradually challenged Seleucid rule over Iran. Parthian control of Iran was secured through the c. 142 BC conquest of Babylonia. The Parthians presented themselves as heirs of the Achaemenids, early Parthian rulers used the name of their dynastic founder (Arsaces) as a title.  
NameCoinReign1Arsaces I150x150px247–217 BC4Arsaces II151x151px217–191 BC5Priapatius150x150px191–176 BC6Phraates I150x150px170/168–165/64 BC7Mithridates I the Great150x150px165–132 BC8Phraates II150x150px132–127 BC9Artabanus I150x150px127–124/3 BC10Mithridates IIframeless|150x150px124–91 BC11Gotarzes I150x150px91–87/80 BC12Orodes I150x150px80–75 BC13Sinactruces I150x150px75–69 BC14Phraates IIIframeless|150x150px69–57 BC15Mithridates IVframeless|150x150px57–54 BC16Orodes II150x150px57–37 BC17Phraates IVframeless|150x150px37–2 BC18Phraates Vframeless|150x150px2 BC–4 AD19Musaframeless|150x150px2 BC–4 AD20Orodes III150x150px4–621Vonones Iframeless|150x150px8–1221Artabanus II frameless|149x149px12–38/4122Vardanes I150x150px40–4623Gotarzes IIframeless|150x150px40–5124Vonones IIframeless|150x150px51–5125Vologases I frameless|150x150px51–7826Pacorus II150x150px78–11027Vologases III frameless|149x149px110–14728Vologases IVframeless|150x150px147–19129Vologases Vframeless|155x155px191–20830Vologases VIframeless|150x150px208–228
Sasanian Empire
The Sasanian dynasty originated as kings of Persis, a Parthian vassal kingdom, and claimed Achaemenid descent. In 224–226, the Sasanian dynast Ardashir I led a revolt against the Parthians, weakened in a recent civil war, and took control of the empire. Ardashir presented himself as a restorer of both regional unity and Achaemenid glory. 
NamePortraitReign years1Ardashir Ithumb|149x149px224–2422Shapur Ithumb|150x150px240–2703Hormizd I150x150px270–2714Bahram I150x150px271–2745Bahram II150x150px274–2936Bahram III293–293 7Narseh150x150px293–3038Hormizd II150x150px303–3099Adur Narseh309–309 10Shapur II thumb|150x150px309–37911Ardashir II153x153px379–38312Shapur III150x150px383–38813Bahram IV150x150px388–39914Yazdegerd I150x150px399–42015Shapur IV42016Khosrow 420–42117Bahram V150x150px421–43818Yazdegerd II150x150px438–45719Hormizd III457–45920Peroz I80x80px459–48421Balash80x80px484–48822Kavad I80x80px488–49623Jamasp80x80px496–498/924Kavad I80x80px498/9–53125Khosrow I150x150px531–57926Hormizd IV150x150px579–59027Khosrow II150x150px590–59028Bahram Chobin150x150px590–59129Khosrow II 150x150px591–62830Kavad II150x150px62831Ardashir III150x150px628–63032Shahrbaraz150x150px63033Khosrow III150x150px63035Shapur V63036Peroz II63037Azarmidokht63038Hormizd V150x150px630–63141Farrukhzad Khosrow V63139Hormizd VI150x150px631–63240Khosrow IV150x150px632–63643Yazdegerd III150x150px636–651
Rashidun Caliphate
The Rashidun Caliphate attacked parts of Sasanian Asoristan in 633. In 638, the Sasanians lost Mesopotamia, by the time of Yazdegerd III's death in 651, the Sasanians only retained Bactria. Following the Muslim victory, the Sasanian Empire was dissolved and Persia became part of the Rashidun Caliphate.
+NameImageFactsReignLifespanAbu Bakrthumb|154x154pxCompanion of Prophet Muhammad8 June 632-23 August 634c.573-23 August 634Umarthumb|150x150pxSenior companion of Prophet Muhammad23 August 634-6 November 644c.584-6 November 644Uthmanthumb|153x153pxFirst Caliph to be assassinated6 November 644-17 June 656576-17 June 656Alithumb|150x150pxson-in-law of Prophet Muhammad17 June 656-28 January 661c.600-28 January 661

 Medieval Iran 
Umayyad caliphate

The Umayyad Caliphate was established by Mu'awiya I, governor of Syria. Mu'awiya opposed the acclamations of Ali as caliph, leading to the civil war known as the First Fitna.
NameImageFactsReignLifespanMu'awiya Ithumb|150x150pxSeized power in the First FitnaJanuary 661–April 680601-April 680Yazid Ithumb|150x150pxKnown for the Battle of KarbalaApril 680–11 November 683c.646-11 November 683Mu'awiya IIthumb|150x150pxSon of Yazid I11 November 683–June 684664-684Marwan Ithumb|150x150pxGovernor of MedinaJune 684 –12 April 685624/5-April 684Abd al-Malikthumb|150x150pxKnow for the Battle of Khazir and Maskin12 April 685–9 October 705644/7-9 October 705Al-Walid Ithumb|150x150pxKnown for conquest of Sindh9 October 705–23 February 715c.674-23 February 715Sulaymanthumb|150x150pxSiege of Constantinople23 February 715– 24 September 717675-24 September 717UmarthumbGovernor of Medina from 706-71224 September 717 –4 February 720680-4 February 720Yazid IIthumb|150x150pxSon of Abd al-Malik5 February 720– 26 January 724690-26 January 724Hishamthumb|150x150pxSon of Abd al-Malik26 January 724– 6 February 743691-6 February 743Al-Walid IIthumb|150x150pxSon of Yazid II6 February 743 – 17 April 744709-17 April 744Yazid IIIthumb|150x150pxSon of al-Walid I16 April–20 September 744Ibrahimthumb|150x150pxSon of al-Walid I20 September – 25 November 744Marwan IIthumb|150x150pxGrandson of Marwan I25 November 744 –750
Borjigin Khanate
After the death of Möngke Khan, the Mongol Empire was fractured by civil war, over succession of the next Great Khan and between nomadic traditionalists and the new settled princes of China and the Middle East. Kublai Khan was eventually recognized, but the empire was irreversibly fragmented, the south-west fell to Hulegu Khan, who had been made a deputy there under Möngke Khan.
+NameImageFactsReignLifespanHuleguthumb|100x100pxKnown for the Siege of Baghdad, Battle of Ain Jalut and Conquest of Syria1256-8 February 1265c.1217-8 February 1265Abaqathumb|219x219pxCampaigns during a Crusade8 February 1265-4 April 128227 February 1234-4 April 1282Arghunthumb|180x180px4 April 1282-10 March 12918 March 1258-10 March 1291Rinchendorjethumb|186x186pxViceory of Anatolia10 March 1291-21 March 1295c.1259-21 March 1295Bayduthumb|150x150pxFirst Ilkhan to be executed24 March-4 October 12951261-1295Ghazanthumb|150x150pxSon of Arghun and conversion to Islam4 October 1295-11 May 13045 November 1271-11 May 1304Öljaitüthumb|165x165pxViceory of Khorasan from 1296-130411 May 1304-16 December 131624 March 1282-16 December 1316Abu Saidthumb|197x197pxGovernor of Mazandaran16 December 1316-1 December 13352 June 1305-1 December 1335Arpa Ke'unthumb|150x150pxCaptured and killed in the battle of Zarrineh1 December 1335-15 May 1336?-15 May 1336Musa Khanthumb|150x150pxKilled in the battle of Karaj15 May 1335-24 July 1336?-24 July 1336Muhammad Khanthumb|150x150pxExecuted24 July 1336-16 July 1338?-16 July 1338Jahan Temürthumb|150x150pxPuppet king16 July 1338-21 June 1340Ilyas Khanthumb|212x212px21 June 1340-1345Togha Temüthumb|150x150px1345-December 1353
Muzaffarid Empire
Sharaf al-Din Muzaffar was governor of Maibud, his son, Mubariz al-Din Muhammad was brought up at court, but returned to Maibud upon the death of Öljeitü, in around 1319 he overthrew the atabeg of Yazd and was recognized as governor of the city, in 1324 he was crowned Shah of Muzaffarid. 
+NamePortraitFactsReignLifespanMubariz1324-13581301-1363Shoja Mozaffarithumb|200x200pxSon of Mubariz1358-13841333-1384Mansurthumb|168x168pxNephew of Shoja1384-1393?-1393
Jalayirid Sultanate
+NamePortraitFactsReignLifespanHassan Buzurgthumb|150x150pxFounder1337-July 1356?-July 1356Malek Ashraf1356-13571321-1357Uways Ithumb|150x150pxNephew of Malek and son of Hassan1357-10 October 1374?-10 October 1374HussainSon of Uways I10 October 1374-April 1382?-1382BayazidBrother of HussainApril 1382-1384?-1384Ahmadthumb|219x219pxBrother of Hussain and Bayezid1384-1410?-1410MahmudGreat nephew of Ahmad1410-1415?-1419Uways IIBrother of Mahmud1415-1421?-1421
Bey of Qara Qoyunlu
+NamePortraitFactsReignBayramFounder1351-1380Muhammad Ithumb|150x150px1380-April 1389Yusuf Ithumb|170x170pxApril 1389-17 November 1420Pirbudagthumb|207x207pxCo-ruler1411-October 1418Iskandarthumb|185x185px17 November 1420-1430 
and 5 August 1433-1436Abu said1430Muhammad IIWāli of Baghdad1430-5 August 1433Yusuf II1436-8 March 1445Jahan Shahthumb|211x211px8 March 1445-November 1467Pir Budaqthumb|213x213pxCo-sultan1460-1466Hassanthumb|150x150px1466-1468Mirza Yusufthumb|150x150px1468-22 October 1469Alvand22 October 1469-1470
Aq Qoyunlu sultanate

The Aq Qoyunlu were a semi-nomadic Turkoman confederation that rose to power after the Ilkhanate's collapse, the Aq Qoyunlu was a more long-lived and better recorded group. In the 1450s and 1460s, the Aq Qoyunlu under Uzun Hasan defeated both the Qara Qoyunlu and Timurid forces. 
+NamePortraitFactsReignLifespanUthman Begthumb|150x150px1378-1435c.1356-1435Ali beg1435-1444?-1444Jahangirthumb1444-autumn 1454c.1420-1469Uzun Hasanthumb|213x213pxAutumn 1454-6 January 14781425-6 January 1478Khalilthumb|211x211px6 January-15 June 1478?-15 June 1478Yaqubthumb|150x150px15 June 1478-24 December 1490?-24 December 1490Baysunghurthumb|150x150px24 December 1490-1493?-1493Rustamthumb|150x150px1493-May 1497?-May 1497Ahmadthumb|150x150pxMay-14 December 14971476-14 December 1497Qasim

 Modern Iran 
Safavid Persia
In 1499, the Safavid sheikh Ismail defeated the Shirvans and began control of Iran from Aq Qoyunlu. In 1502, Ismail crowned himself Shah at Tabriz, the rise of the Safavids is often considered the beginning of modern Persian history, the Safavids restored Persia as a single Persian political unit and retransformed the tribal nomadic order of the land, established during its period under Turko-Mongol rule, shia Islam was established as the state religion. 
NamePortraitFactsReignLifespanIsmail Ithumb|176x176pxForced the entire country to covert to Shia 1501–152417 July 1487-23 May 1524Tahmasp I180x180pxCampaigns against Kakheti and Kartli1524–157622 February 1514-14 May 1576Haidarthumb|219x219pxShortest reign14-15 May 157618 September 1554-15 May 1576Ismail IIthumb|220x220pxImprisoned for 19 years15 May 1576–157731 May 1537-24 November 1577Mohammad I thumb|279x279pxOttoman-Safavid war24 November 1577–15951532-1595Abbas the Greatthumb|192x192px1595–19 January 162927 January 1571-19 January 1629Safithumb|192x192px19 January 1629–12 May 16421611-12 May 1642Abbas IIthumb|241x241px12 May 1642–26 October 166630 August 1632-26 October 1666Suleiman Ithumb|271x271pxKnown as Safi II until 166826 October 1666-29 July 1694February/March 1648-29 July 1694Hussainthumb|217x217px29 July 1694–9 September 17271668-9 September 1727Tahmasp IIthumb|211x211pxStrangled and suficated to death9 September 1727-16 April 17361704-11 February 1740Abbas III150x150pxYoungest monarch16 April 1736-February 1740January 1732-11 February 1740Suleiman IIthumb|150x150pxJuly 1749-14 January 1750June 1714-May 1763Ismail IIIthumb|150x150pxPuppet ruler14 January 1750-17731733-1773
Hotak Empire
In 1701, unrest among the Ghilji Pashtun tribe of Afghanistan led to a rebellion against the Safavids. This uprising was suppressed by the local commander, George XI of Kartli, but the Afghan anti-Safavid movement continued under Mirwais Hotak and his son, Mahmud Hotak. Mahmud initially feigned loyalty and was officially appointed as governor of Kandahar. In 1720, he began raiding the Kerman area and in March 1722, a larger hastily assembled and more powerful Safavid army was defeated at the Battle of Gulnabad.
+NameImageFactsReignLifespanMahmudthumb|251x251pxEmir of Afghanistan23 October 1722-22 April 17251697-1725Ashraf HotakthumbKnown for the Battle of Murche-Khort and Khwar Pass22 April 1725-5 October 1729c.1700-1729
Afsharid Empire
+NameImageFactsReignLifespanNader Shahthumb|206x206pxPersian victory in the Battle of KarnalFebruary 1740-20 June 17471693-1747Adel Shahthumb|208x208pxNephew of Nader20 June 1747-1 October 17481722-1749Ebrahim Shahthumb|150x150pxDeposed Adel Shah1 October 1748-July 17491725-July 1749Shahrokhthumb|347x347px14 January 1750-1796March 1734-1796
Zand Empire
NamePortraitFactsReignLifespan1Karim Khan204x204px1751–1 March 1779c.1705-17792Mohammad II1 March-19 June 1779c.1760-19 June 17793Abol-Fath Khan19 June 1779-1787c.1755-17874Jafar Khanthumb1787–23 January 1789?-23 January 17895Sayed Morad Khanthumb23 January-10 May 1789?-10 May 17896Anwar Shirazi10 May 1789-20 March 17941768-1801Qajar Empire
NamePortraitTughraReign years1Agha Mohammad Khan239x239px17 June 1789–17972Fath-Ali Shahthumb|172x172pxthumb|100x100px17 June 1797–24 October 18343Mohammad III thumb|206x206pxthumb|100x100px24 October 1834–5 September 18484Naser al-Din Shah241x241pxthumb|103x103px5 September 1848–1 May 18965Mozaffar ad-Din Shah192x192pxthumb|124x124px1 May 1896–3 January 19076Mohammad IV189x189pxthumb|120x120px3 January 1907–5 April 19257Ahmad 214x214pxthumb|121x121px5 April–15 December 1925
Pahlavi Empire 
NamePortraitTitleReign years1Reza Shah208x208px15 December 1925–19412Mohammad V thumb|246x246px1941– 1979

 Notes 

Category:Iran-related lists
Category:Lists of monarchs
Category:Iran